Forged in Fire: Book I: Agrom
by UngratefulWolf
Summary: AU. Born among the lava people, the young Agrom learns of his fate as an Earth Lord. However, things aren't as smooth as one would expect, especially not when Magor is your father. Can Agrom give his trust to fellow princes? And how will he fare against his own?
1. Prologue

He had to be sneaky if he wanted to follow Master Magor's orders. If he was found too soon, he'd have to do it all over. Not that he didn't enjoy this, he just loved winning.

The volcano was their home since forever, he knew it like the back of his pocket. Though at this rate, he was running out of places to hide in.

He heard footsteps coming into the room. He couldn't lock it out or block the way in without being accused of foul play, he was the mouse in this game of cat and mouse after all.

"Get ready, Fume! I'll get you!"

"Fat chance!"

Fume realized he should've kept quiet once he saw rocks being thrown near where he hid himself. He tried to take a peek behind his spot, surprised to see no one was there.

Weird, didn't he just…?

"Gotcha!" said the young Gormiti, grabbing the fiery one by the shoulder.

Fume jumped back, raising his fist into the air… before giving the young Earth Gormiti a light tap on the back.

"My, my, Prince Agrom, you're getting better at this than I am." he said.

"You say that as if I didn't always beat you at hide and seek." snorted Agrom.

Fume shrugged before taking the young prince back into the inhabited part of the volcano. Hide and seek was a childish game in comparison to what Fume usually did for his master, but it at least acknowledged his stealth skills (and small size, added Sceven).

Prince Agrom was always so eager to get out of the volcano, entertaining him was the least they could do to keep him away from harm. Master Magor refused to let his son out too far at his age.

It wasn't unusual for a Gormiti to birth one that could belong to another Tribe, and for that, Prince Agrom was a very special child.

Despite being raised among Lava people, he had a certain kindness nobody would ever expect, especially not with his father's identity. At the same time, it was common knowledge that Agrom was probably the only Gormiti Magor could have a soft spot for.

Their soldiers were always tossed around for failing any simple task, even if it was just attending to their job. Agrom however had an unequaled luxury, Magor never showed any ruthlessness towards his only son, he was always patient and in fact, _amused_ at times.

Talking about their prince outside of their territory was forbidden, for they knew if word got out about it, harm could reach him and they'd regret it severely. He wasn't old and experienced enough to know about the rest of Gorm yet, Magor still waited before he could tell his son about the island that'd be theirs soon.

Agrom did not fully know of his father's actions, aside from that he fought valiantly to keep their territory safe and that the other Tribes would be full of treasures to seek once he'd be old enough to go out of their land's boundaries.

As soon as Fume wasn't looking over him anymore, Agrom rushed towards the throne room, eager to hear about their lieutenants' latest adventures. It could be so boring to be stuck in one place all the time, and their stories were always so interesting (mostly funny whenever he heard they made fool of themselves again).

This time however, things seemed different, as he noted, stopping before he could get inside. Only Firespitter was in the throne room, bowing to Magor as usual.

"If what you say is true, Firespitter, then there could be more of these lying inside Hearthkeep."

"Our sources were not certain, but we've found this one buried deep beneath the sand. Once we get our hands on more Gorm Stones, you shall be certain we'll return them to you, Master."

_'Gorm Stones? What is my father talking about? And what did Firespitter bring back?'_

He gulped, realizing Firespitter was coming nearby, ready to exit the room. Should he run away or should he go in? If the other soldiers saw him rushing out, they'd definitely tell his father, but if he went in and asked, his father might not give him an answer either…

Instead, Firespitter found him lying on the wall, acting nonchalant as if he had never heard anything the two fire Gormitis said.

"My prince, it is an honor to see you on this wonderful day. Might I ask in what way I could possibly aid you?"

"Hey, Firespitter. Cool rock, what are you holding?" asked Agrom.

"This, my prince, is a Gorm Stone. I was tasked with securing it into the vault after bringing it back."

"Can I have it?"

"Er, my apologies, my prince, but your father solemnly forbid me from letting it fall into anyone else's but his righteous hands."

"What is it anyway? Something important?"

"It… is very valuable indeed, but I cannot lose sight of it before securing it."

"Come on, can I at least see it for a second?" said Agrom, having already retrieved a rock on the stone wall behind him.

"Well, I do not really see any harm to it…"

Reluctantly, Firespitter handed the small item over to him, letting Agrom take a closer look at it as he turned around.

It had a strange yellow symbol on it, one he did not recognize from the runes his father taught him with. Five triangles on a circle, all yellow. Maybe it was meant to represent something…

"So, this rock is one of a kind, right?"

"Well, to be precise, there should be three or four of these crystals. Master Magor wants them all for a greater purpose you will have the pleasure to witness in a few days, Prince Agrom."

"I see." he said, readying himself for the oldest trick in the book as he hid the Gorm Stone behind his back. "Can't I keep it?"

"I am sorry, young master, but it would be unwise to go against your father's word."

"Fine, you win." said Agrom as he handed over the fake stone. "But you gotta tell me, are you going on another mission soon?"

"I have to head to Hearthkeep as an emissary tomorrow."

"Can I come? Pleaaaaaase?" he asked, curious about what this Gorm Stone could be about.

"I apologize, but erm…" Should he mention Magor again, he knew Agrom would throw a tantrum, complain to his father and result in Firespitter being punished for getting his hopes up. "I was tasked to go alone, as it's a very dangerous and top secret mission only a general as I am qualified for."

Sighing, Agrom turned his back on him, all hunched in defeat. Looks like he'd have no choice but to sneak out on his own while everyone else was busy. He knew he could get in trouble for this, but he just had to see it for himself.

He had never seen any other Earth Gormiti before, and Hearthkeep was apparently full of them. This was a chance in a lifetime, he just had to see it for himself!

Besides, if he ever got in trouble, he could just ask for help from Firespitter since he'd be nearby. Maybe not tell him about pulling the ol' switcheroo on this crystal, unless he needed him to hold his tongue.

Unbeknownst to him, not far from the volcano, an old man was waiting. What the young prince had in mind might forever change the way the island of Gorm lived, soon enough...


	2. A Hole in the wall

He waited until Firespitter was far enough to declare the game open. Fume was charged of entertaining him again, but for once, Agrom requested to be the mouse, the only way he could think of to get rid of his chaperone.

It wouldn't be that bad, he'd tell Fume he got sidetracked seeing Firespitter was leaving and forgot to call off their game, then Firespitter would take responsibility.

He couldn't believe he was finally going to Hearthkeep! Once he'd be there, he'd get to meet other Earth Gormitis, see where they lived if not inside a volcano. A few meters away from the forest and he could see the soldier step foot in a grainy desert. For a Lava Gormiti, it could be a hassle, but Agrom was used to this kind of weather.

When he was still a Gormita infant, his father once showed him where the red mist inside their home came from. Agrom's face was later covered in red dust, much to the Lord's amusement. Dust and sand were something he was used to living inside the volcano's walls and rarely going out.

He held his breath and hid behind a rock once he heard the lieutenant grunt and halt, having probably noticed he was being followed. Luckily, unlike the rest of his kingdom, Agrom did not leave fiery footsteps behind, making him much harder to track.

Firespitter raised an eyebrow before shrugging off what he thought he'd seen. He had better to do than deal with a stray animal left by those Earthers. Holding onto his scythe, he finally reached the great wall.

* * *

In hindsight, he was much better at sneaking behind someone in an open field than sneaking and entering.

For some reason, Firespitter decided to make a hole inside the wall rather than simply looking for a door. It didn't look like there were any nearby but it still was weird. He followed after, being smaller in stature than the Lava man, going in the opposite direction. He'd probably meet up with him at some point, where's the rush?

What he did rush was not getting caught. Because a few seconds after leaving Firespitter behind, he immediately bumped onto someone else.

He yelped as he accidentally knocked over the other Gormiti, making them both lose their balance as they fell down on the rocky grounds of the village.

"My gosh! So sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and-"

The stranger stopped apologizing to take a look at Agrom. Seeing his skin was clear of any magma and that rock mostly covered his body, it could only mean…

Agrom had just met an actual Earth Gormiti. His eyes widened, he just… finally met someone else that was just like him! This was incredible…

"My name is Kondo. I'm sorry, people tell me I'm a bit of a klutz sometimes." he said, helping the other boy get back up. "I don't think I've seen you around here before, have I?"

"Ah… that's because I just came here."

"Came… from where?"

"Uh, I live outside Hearthkeep."

"Wait, seriously?! Cool! I didn't know there were other Earth Gormitis outside our walls! But how did you get in? Did the elders let you?"

"You could say that… I'm Agrom by the way." he said, extending his hand.

"And I'm Kondo, but I think I already said that. So you're not from around here? What is it like outside our kingdom?"

"Well… I lived near this place, in the forest. My dad is someone kinda important, so he doesn't let me out much. I was able to leave the volc- erm, the house this time on my own. Can you tell me more about Hearthkeep?"

* * *

"Please, master, have mercy!" begged Fume, as Magor towered above him.

"You expect me to give you mercy when you let my son get himself lost who knows where outside our kingdom, into wilderness and danger?!" roared the creature. "You're lucky I still have use for you, I'd suspect you of betrayal if Agrom didn't have such faith in you."

"I'd never let Prince Agrom get hurt, it's my honor as your loyal servant! But, I do not know where he went! He asked me to look for him, but I have no idea where-"

"SILENCE, YOU FOOL! I know exactly where he could've gone to…"

Fume raised his head, surprised. He knew? Then why not…

"Should we begin a search for him, Lord Magor?" asked Sceven.

"No, Agrom will return of his own. His curiosity always gets the best of him, he'd have no reason to stay away for too long. " said Magor, bringing his hands behind his back. "As his father, I should've taken the responsibility of teaching him sooner about the dangers of going into enemy territory. With some luck, no one will ever discover who he is, but in no way he should prolong his stay in the outside world."

He growled, clenching his clawed fists as he went back and forth. He needed all five Gorm Stones with him before he could let Agrom outside, the world wasn't ready yet. People could be hostile to him if they learned of who he truly was, take him hostage, or worse…

Perhaps if he used the one they already possessed, he could take Agrom back home, but he couldn't use all that power yet. Not when Agrom could learn the ugly side of the conflict his people were leading.

Then again, people of Hearthkeep were ignorant of what lies outside their walls, they knew nothing of him or Agrom. As long as word didn't get out to other Tribes…

"Master! Something terrible has happened! T-the crystal Firespitter brought back!" said a Lava minion, entering the throne room in a rush. "It's gone!"

The king's henchmen gasped at the lesser soldier's words, bracing themselves for the incoming wave of fury.

"WHAT IS, THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

"All there was in the room you told us to guard was an ordinary rock, it broke when it fell down!" said the minion, cowering in fear. "We wanted to ask General Firespitter about it but he's already gone!"

"Firespitter… all of this started when he brought that stone to me..." said Magor.

"Could he have taken Prince Agrom hostage?" suggested Andrall. "He must've replaced the stone with a copy!"

"No, he's not foolish enough to try such a thing against me." said Magor. "We've clearly been deceived, and I have my little idea on who's responsible…"

* * *

"Tulket, what's going on?!" asked Kondo.

"There's a fire creature attacking our village!" shouted the adult. "Go take your friend and hide somewhere! The Elders are gathering to find a way to stop him!"

"A fire creature? You mean, like a dragon or-"

"There's no time to explain! I'll evacuate the village while you two take cover."

The adult Earther ran off leaving both boys behind.

"That sounds kinda cool! But I guess we do need to hide. You coming?"

"I'll… I'll catch up to you in a few minutes, I just remembered I had something to take care of first."

Kondo shot him a confused glance. "You sure? This sounds a bit dangerous."

"It'll be fine, I already dealt with stuff like this guy before."

"You have?" asked Kondo.

"Yeah, I'll be there quick."

The other boy shrugged before leaving, letting Agrom think of the mess that had just begun. What was Firespitter doing?!

Why attack Hearthkeep? What was it in there that made him hurt people? Sure, he was a bit scary, but as long as he didn't act out of bounds or was unprovoked, he shouldn't be causing trouble.

He had to stop him somehow, even if it meant getting busted. Should he go talk to Firespitter? Or maybe get someone from the volcano to reason with him.

This didn't make sense, Firespitter was coming here as an emissary, what was he fighting the Earth kingdom for?

"He's looking for a Gorm Stone, Agrom."

Startled, Agrom turned around, only to be met by a familiar face…

Meanwhile, Firespitter was swinging his scythe around, expanding his lava all over the ground. The Earth soldiers did their best to push him off, but they were no match for him.

He wouldn't stop looking behind every rock, every tree, anything that stood in his way until he found what he was looking for.

"Away from me, I say! Away!" he warned, scaring off some Earth weaklings.

He didn't like this place, too noisy and full of nuisances to his taste. Prince Agrom would probably be disgusted to know he looked similar to these pests, luckily Magor would reshape them into something less useless.

"Hey, Firespitter! Don't you think you're being over the top hurting everyone that comes near you?"

"Who dares-"

Firespitter shut himself once he saw who spoke. In front of him, an Earth Gormiti that was bigger than the others, wearing yellow visors and holding a big hammer stood. On his arm was a stone he recognized quite well…

"So you show yourself, Earth Lord! Are you there to surrender your Gorm Stone to Master Magor?"

"What does Magor want with it anyway?" asked the frowning warrior.

"Once he'll take over the entire Gorm and turns this place to dust, you'll see what he has in mind."

"Not a chance! Mighty Rock Ball!"

The Earth Lord took the shape of a ball, going straight towards his opponent. Unbeknownst to Firespitter, fire would not hurt, not any more than what the Prince was hearing.

* * *

"Tell me, what do you call yourself, Lord of Gorm?" asked Firespitter, down from exhaustion.

"I am…" he paused, realizing his real name or any name he knew would be a dead giveaway on who he truly was. "My name… is… Lord… Kondo!"

"What?!" said the boy in question, peeking out from the crowd to see the battle, crowd that now stared at him.

"Well, I'll keep that in mind once I finish you off!"

"Finish this!" said the Lord, colliding his hammer with the fire soldier, sending him fly off to the distance.

Firespitter made a sound of outrage and surprise as he was ejected away from the Earth kingdom, into the forest in direction of home. The Earth Lord heaved, turning to be met by the boy whose name he gave.

"Speak up! Who are you? What are you doing in our village? Why do we have the same name? Is it your real name?"

"Kondo, listen, I…" he grabbed him before turning to the villagers. "I'll borrow him for a sec, he'll be back before you know it."

Kondo shouted and flailed his arms around, trying to free himself while the rest of the village screamed at the giant to return him. He was taken by the big figure away, further into the mountains behind a bush before being dropped.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!"

"I'm sorry, Kondo. That guy came for me, I… I should've known something wasn't right from the start." he said, pressing on the rock on his arm before shrinking.

"Wow!" said Kondo, stepping back before the figure took the shape of the Gormiti he met earlier. "Agrom? It was you who saved us?"

"I know where this guy came from, and I'm sorry. If he knew who I was, even more people would be in trouble, so I had to use your name for that." said the Prince.

"That thing… you were an Earth Lord?! That's wicked cool! But why lie about it?"

"He was looking for this." said Agrom, pointing to the rock on his arm. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave now."

"Wait! When are you coming back?"

"...you still want me around? After what I just did?"

"I know you didn't attack anyone who was innocent. Besides, it's not like you brought him there, did you?"

"I didn't, but as long as I have this stone, he'll follow me." said a sad Agrom. "I know this whole thing is crazy, but please don't say a word about it, or me, to anyone."

Kondo hesitated, taking in all the mad stuff he just witnessed today. It was hard to believe Agrom and the power he had, but at the same time...

"Your secret is safe with me… but don't expect me to bow, oh mighty Lord of Gorm!"

Agrom stared, confused, before both friends broke into laughter.

* * *

He had expected a punishment, but no one could've foretold the anger his master and teammates showed once he arrived.

"It was an Earth Gorm Lord, I swear! I would not return of my own volition if I had not fought in your name, your majesty!"

"Words, words, yet all I see is that we have no Gorm Stones in our grasp! The one you brought yesterday was not only fake, but my son has gone missing not long after you've left."

Shocked, Firespitter stepped back. "I swear to you, Lord Magor, I have no role in this. The last time I've spoken to Prince Agrom, he asked me about my trip to the Earth kingdom, but I did not bring him along!"

"Then someone else must be keeping him away from me, someone I will have a little chat with soon…"

"Please let me correct my mistake, my Lord! I'll-"

"You shall do no such thing! You've already done enough damage as it is, Firespitter." said Magor, glaring at him before his general cowered. "Andrall, this is your turn now."

"What is your bidding, my master?" asked Andrall, bowing before him.

"You will go to the Air kingdom…"

* * *

In the end, he barely got to see the village. And now, he'd have to keep looking for other Lords, too. His grip on the Mighty Rock Board's handlebars tightening, he gritted his teeth as he got further away from the Earth kingdom.

Magor wanted to enslave all these people, take control of the island and make it the way he wanted it to be. If he had stayed home, Firespitter would've returned empty-handed, but they'd still have a Gorm Stone in their possession. Not anymore, now, but the fight was just beginning.

He brought a hand under his visor, drying off a tear dripping on his cheek. He'd have to fight against his own kingdom and family to protect the island, he would save the Gorm… from his own home. This whole time, he belonged to the bad guys' team, and it meant…

His father was the big bad guy behind this. He groaned, unable to believe his dad lied to him all this time. If he hadn't gone outside, he would've waited until all that'd be left of Gorm would be ruin, devoid of the life and beauty he saw beyond the volcano.

Firespitter was only one of their soldiers, he'd have to fight more. And unlike his father's troops, the Lords were four instead of thousands. He wasn't a born fighter, but he'd have to learn anyway. He didn't have a choice.

He spotted the silhouette of the man that helped him earlier, the one who had told him all he needed to know to send Firespitter away. With a sigh, he stopped and went off his board, approached by the old one.

"So you've made your decision?"

"What decision is there?!" asked Agrom. "Either I fight or everyone suffers, that's all there is to it!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, young Prince Agrom. There are things the heart can't rush, and while you have a mission to accomplish, I would not advise hasting yourself this way, especially not when you're against your own father."

"I know, I just… can't let this happen. He planned to leave me inside our kingdom until he destroyed everything on his way, then tell me that's how the world was like. I have to stop him at all costs."

"You will require the help of others, Agrom. On your own, you cannot handle the weight that comes with being an Earth Lord. Other Lords are waiting for you in their own kingdoms, unaware of the destiny awaiting them."

"I know…" he said, looking down as he scratched again. "Thanks again for telling me what I needed to do. I know it's not easy between you and Dad to get along, but you still stood by my side when I needed it."

"The fate of Gorm depends on it, and I am not as heartless as you may think I am."

"Nah, you never really acted like it anyway." said Agrom, going back on his board. "Need for a ride?"

"It's wiser if I'm not seen with you, Magor must never know that I've returned or that I've been helping you. This won't be the last time we see each other, however." said the old man. "I suppose you've now decided to take this new alter-ego as a way to hide yourself?"

"No one knows Kondo outside Hearthkeep, they can't look for him when we don't even look alike." said Agrom. "It'll be fine as long as I don't tell anyone else who I am. But, you won't tell Dad, right?"

"Even if I could, I would not do such a thing. Unless he already knows, of course… Until then, young Lord of Gorm."

Agrom shrugged as he was leaving. The old sage was really weird acting all cryptic sometimes.

"Bye, Uncle."


	3. Dreams and Confusion

"Agrom… Agrom…"

Startled, the young Prince awoke. Someone was saying his name, a female voice. It couldn't have been Piron, Tasaru, and definitely not Noctis. How could someone else know his name, aside from Kondo and the others, he didn't…

"Lava Gormitis…" he whispered. "Unleash the powers of Earth!"

He transformed, letting his body extend and the rocks over his skin expand and strengthen him. Soon enough, instead of the young Prince stood a proud warrior. He ran up to his sleeping friends, trying to wake them.

"Guys! Guys! We're under attack! Lava Gormitis are coming!" he said. Strangely enough, they were still sound asleep. This wasn't good, they were vulnerable in this state. "Come on, guys! You sleepyheads are gonna get toast if you don't transform into Lords _now_!"

He kept shaking them. Should he use his powers on them? Or would that be too rough? Actually… they weren't even moving or snoring. Agrom poked them, and was surprised to see that rather than skin, it was as if he touched… glass.

"What is going on?!"

Did his friends turn into glass? Or were they replaced by some type of extra-resembling glass copies?

"Agrom… Agrom…"

The voice kept calling. Whoever was responsible for this must've known who he was if they were still trying to lure him in. Better get to the bottom of this and not let his mysterious opponent wait then.

"Agrom, you are needed…" said the voice as Agrom ran deeper into the forest.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!"

As he kept walking, he saw figures coming from another side of the forest, and was surprised to see it was none other than his friends, also transformed into their alter egos.

"Oh! It's you guys! I'm really glad to-" They walked past him, not even giving him a glance as they kept walking through the darkness. "Huh?!"

So did he really leave behind those glass copies of his friends? If so, why leave him out? And why were they ignoring him?

"Now, just a minute!" he shouted. "Somebody was calling my name and they woke me up from a sound sleep and- Lava people!"

He readied his fists as a light came from in front of the Lords of Nature, startling him. Who had the power and expertise enough to make the forest so weird?

"Not lava, Agrom, but light." said the voice, as a woman in white clothing, light skin and blonde hair formed before him. "I am the Glass Empress, and we must speak."

"Oh! I'll talk to you alright! The Old Sage said you were the embodiment of all Gorm!"

"Then put your trust in me, for together, we may turn the tide of the coming war."

"What war? What do you mean?"

"On the great Plain of Astreg, a fifth Gorm Stone will be revealed. You and your fellow Lords must journey there immediately and secure the stone, before the fire of Magor reaches it."

Agrom frowned at the mention of the Lava king. "Now hold on a minute, you mean to tell me there's another Gorm stone? The surprises never end around here!"

"Your journey will be perilous with harsh trials along the way, you and yours will be tested to your very core to triumph in this quest, Lord Agrom of the Earth and Lava Tribes."

Agrom's eyes widened before he shook his hands.

"No! Don't- er, guys!" he said, turning to his friends. "It's not what you- huh?!"

Once again, his friends were glass statues. Except now, they were standing in a fighting stance and in stronger form than the ones he left at the campsite.

"Glass Empress, I'm gonna have to ask you to explain what's going on, but please, don't say that in front of my friends…" said Agrom. "If they ever learn, this mission you're giving me might be harder on them than it is on me."

"Some secrets are made to be kept unless their holders decide it is time to unleash the truth's nature." said the Glass Empress. "I will not interfere with what the Old Sage and you have chosen to do, however you must know that holding such a terrible weight upon your shoulders may come at dire consequences."

"Phew, thanks a lot! And, uh, sorry, you were saying?" said Agrom, regaining his composure.

"You must remember what true victory looks like."

"You can count me in! And…" he turned back to the statues of his friends. She really needed to explain what she did to them before he seriously freaked out.

Suddenly, the ground shook, making him trip and fall forward as a burning light appeared behind him. He turned around and was met with a familiar face he wasn't sure he wanted to see at the time.

"You've had your fun, my son." said Magor, his fire burning through the trees and nature all around him. "Now it's time to stop these childish games and return home."

"Dad?! No! I- I'm not gonna let you!"

"Now now, enough of this!" said Magor, bringing his arms together as a screeching sound came from his palms.

Agrom didn't understand what was going on as he covered his ears, but all he knew was that in a few seconds, the statues shattered, leaving him alone with his father. If they weren't around to help when he needed them, this would be the end.

His whole word was soon covered in light as he finally woke up, letting out a scream as he saw he was still in his Prince form, laying down on the ground, before seeing he was being stared at.

Noctis, Tasaru and Piron. They were still there. Up to a few seconds ago, they were asleep like he was, but they were still moving, they were still alive…

"What's going on, Agrom?" asked Noctis.

"I'm so glad to know you're still alive!" he exclaimed. "You won't believe what just happened!"

* * *

Noctis didn't know what Agrom had in mind, but transforming into a Gorm Lord as he was just _flying him above the sky untransformed_ was stupid regardless of the reason he had.

"Are you crazy?! I know you Earthers like the ground but if you could've given me a warning! I should've just told you what I saw if heights scare you this much!"

"You don't get it, Noctis!" said Agrom, or rather, Lord 'Kondo'. "If we go in public, we must do so in our Gorm Lords forms, especially when it's in front of our enemies! How would you like it if they immediately traced you back to King Nadar and went back to Eagle's Peak to hold your father hostage?"

"Hey, don't bring my father into this! Do I ever speak ill of _your_ life in the Earth Tribe?"

"Whatever it is, you're making me ill with this attitude since this morning! Seriously, how did people ever put up with you at the castle? You must be the Prince with the most difficult attitude I've ever seen!"

"You must not see a lot of Princes then! Sheesh, you sound so sensitive for an Earther, and here I thought people were saying us Air Gormitis were lightweights…"

"Guys, not to interrupt this fantastical exchange, but can we focus on the task at hand?" asked Piron, polite as ever.

"Whatever." said Noctis, crossing his arms before pressing on the stone on his arm. "Unleash the power of the Air!"

"Unleash the powers of the Forest/Waters!"

In an instant, the three young Princes had been replaced by three mighty Gorm Lords.

"Mighty Rock Ball!" shouted Kondo, rolling onto the unexpecting army.

It pained him to know he was attacking his own soldiers, but he had no other choice. Either they got hurt or it was the entire Gorm that'd suffer from it. Soon enough, he had to change weapons and summoned his Mighty Rock Hammer, ridding himself of the other incoming warriors.

Not far above, Nadar was stretching his wings ready to strike, kicking down a soldier that was about to roast his fellow Lord. He'd rather not have a melted rock as a companion next time they'd venture into the forest because of some weird dream Agrom had.

* * *

"Do you even know where we're going, Agrom? Can you even read that map?" asked Petrifus.

"It's not what I'm used to study, but I think I got it." said Kondo, unsure of what he was going with. "This way!"

They gave him a weird look as they followed, Earth Gormitis weren't exactly rumored to be scholars.

If they ever had to be honest with anyone who asked, none of them could ever figure Agrom out. He often enforced rules on them such as 'do not give away your real name to strangers' or 'don't let a Lava Gormiti ever tempt you with their deception skills', which were reasonable enough on their own, but he acted suspiciously insistent on them.

He never talked about his life in the Earth Kingdom, unlike the three of them who talked about the fighting pit, the palace in the sky or the dangerous fishes nesting inside the water. Though they couldn't deny how careful he was despite how reckless he could be, as expected of an Earth Gormiti.

He had the idea of adopting a fake name before the rest of the Lords joined. Each of them took the name of an Elder or someone of an equally important position from their kingdoms. That way, should Magor look for them, he'd be unable to track down their families and friends.

Although they had never heard of anybody named 'Kondo' before, which proved how sneaky Agrom could be at times. They were curious about where he got the name from, but from that point on, they wouldn't push it. They had a mission waiting, and while they didn't know why he insisted on them staying transformed instead of saving up energy by powering down, they didn't really have the time to question it.

Though they supposed he tried to act like he was their leader, they hoped his leadership skills weren't as questionable as his map reading skills.

"For Gorm's sake! If you'd all just grow some wings, we wouldn't even need a map!" complained Nadar once Kondo handed him the piece of paper. "Ah! It's right over here!"

The Lords kept walking in the direction the Air Lord had pointed to, soon followed by surprised shouts as the land underneath their feet gave in and let them drop into a pit.

"I just wanna point out that this didn't happen under my leadership!" complained Kondo.

So much for being such a great leader…

* * *

"Andrall, I have it!" said the Lava soldier, holding the item before it was snatched by the general.

"Give me that! You're not worthy!" said Andrall before a voice interrupted him, a voice the young Lord recognized quite well."

"Nor are you, Andrall…"

"Uh oh, it's him…" whispered Kondo.

"You presume too much, Andrall!" said Magor's booming voice as he advanced onto the land with his powerful fire destroying the plant life underneath him. "Give it to me, now! Feed me its fiery heart!"

"Yes, Lord Magor! As you wish!" said Andrall. "I'll give the Gorm Stone to you, Lord Magor, as you command. It feels so wondrous in my grip! Could I not just hold it?"

Kondo let out a small laugh as he saw Magor let out a fire blast at his general. Andrall's arrogance _always_ got the best of him.

"You are a trusted general, but I will not stand for your disobedience! I will not hesitate to turn you to dust, Andrall, now give me that!"

Suddenly, it looked less funny than he thought it'd be. Andrall didn't deserve to be destroyed, but at the same time, he couldn't exactly go out, face Magor and expose himself to save a Lava Gormiti that would most likely turn his back on him even if he was helped.

"Hmm?! Hold on!" said Magor, sniffing out the air and shaking his head right and left before his eyes landed on the rock the Lords were hiding behind. The young heroes bent over, hoping he didn't notice them.

"Do you think he saw us?" asked Deron.

"Nah, not a chance." said Kondo. At least, he hoped. His father's scent was always stronger than his sight, though it didn't mean they were safe. He was proven so very right the second he heard Magor's voice again.

"Over there! Gormiti Lords! Bring them to me!"

"Yep, he saw us…"

"He got our scent!" deduced Deron.

"It wasn't me, it was Tasaru!" argued Nadar, before receiving a glare from Kondo.

"Never mind that now, it's time to take the fight to them!" said Petrifus.

"You're right, let's do this." announced Kondo. "For the crystal!"

The four Lords ran to the great fire creature awaiting them, ready for the battle.

* * *

"It's mine!" claimed Magor, swallowing the stone as Kondo begged him not to.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

The entire forest shook, and in a second, the same sound Agrom had heard in his nightmare resonated in his ears. He saw Andrall get ejected away, unable to handle the sheer power his master had just swallowed.

Before he knew it, everything else all around him had lost its color, the land becoming dull as the green died out and the Plain of Astreg looked like a wasteland.

He gasped as he saw his friends, all detransformed while he still stood as a Gorm Lord. How could that be? Magor wouldn't be one to encourage holding back against his enemies, so why didn't he…

"What have you done?!"

"I have begun to make myself whole once more, my boy." said Magor, his fiery arms expanding and his red magma skin darkening as the forest shook once more. "With what a single stone consumed, the very land itself trembles before me."

"The Lords of Gorm will never let that happen!" argued Kondo, his eyes briefly burning red as he glared at the man before him.

"You have spirit. You remind me of an Earth version of myself, when I wore a younger man's clothes." mocked Magor.

Agrom recognized that look, it was the look his father gave whenever he was showing pride in something, whether it was his army, or when he was talking about his power… or his own son.

He couldn't believe he had now come to hate that expression. With a war cry, he swung his hammer at the Lava Lord, halted as Magor threw a wave of fire under his feet. It wouldn't burn him and it certainly wasn't going to stop him, but he realized too late it was another trap.

The land underneath him melted and he fell onto a hole. As he groaned in anger, he jumped back onto the forest, feeling about to burst when he saw Magor was gone.

* * *

"It wasn't all your fault." said Noctis.

"I'm a terrible leader." said Kondo, sitting down on a hollowed trunk. "We lost it, the Gorm Stone!"

"But we beat up a lot of Lava Gormiti!" bragged Tasaru.

"And drove our enemies from this land!" added Piron.

"We did all these things, but if I'm not mistaken, we just let the most powerful evil force in the universe get away from us." said Noctis.

"Way to rub it in, Noctis." deadpanned Piron.

"I was being sarcastic, Piron."

"Oh, what does sarcastic mean?"

"What I mean is, we did very well indeed, right Agrom?"

"Remember at all times what true victory looks like." said Kondo, remembering Glass Empress' words.

"Oh yeah. Uh, are you sure you're okay, Agrom? If you weren't a giant bulking rock monster and if your skin could change color, I'd say you look pale." said Noctis.

"I'm fine, I'm just… ugh, this day was so exhausting, so much happened in so little time, I can't believe we just went through all of this." he sighed.

"Hah, well, sorry about calling you lightweight earlier. I was wrong, you still stood long enough to fight back when we were all down. You haven't even changed back yet, I'm impressed."

"Yeah well, I take back what I said too. It may just be me, but you may not be the one with the most difficult life with your father at Eagle's Peak."

"Why do you say it like that?" Noctis raised a brow at his friend's statement.

"I guess this entire adventure just reminded me that we'll only be able to rest once our mission is over and Magor is defeated. He's got a Gorm Stone, so now it's a level playing field."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." said Tasaru. "It's a long game!"

"That it is, and I'm glad all of us are on the same team!" said Kondo, pressing on his stone as he was back to Agrom.

With a sigh, he walked back onto the forest, soon followed by his fellow Princes.

Unbeknownst to them, two figures stood behind, watching them leave into the distance.

"There are dark times ahead for them, Old Sage."

"Yes, indeed, Glass Empress, but I have faith in the young Lords of Gorm."

The old man observed as the younglings got further away. This wasn't easy for Agrom, he was well-placed to know so, but at the right time, even if his birthright said otherwise, he would make the right choice for all of Gorm.


	4. Family Reunion

"Breakfast is served, guys!" announced Noctis.

It was his turn to cook this time, and while he wasn't exactly a renowned chef, he prided himself in finding the berries they would eat. Looking for ingredients was normally a hassle, that's why he usually left it to Tasaru.

"Not bad, where did you get them?" asked Tasaru.

"At the edge of the forest, and I got water from there on the same occasion."

All four Princes chugged down on their cups, before three of them instantly spit.

"Blegh! What was in that water?!"

"Sulfur!" said Piron. "Noctis, I don't know what river you took this from, but it's full of sulfur! Wherever it was, must've been near Fire Mountain."

"But Agrom tasted that water, and he was fine with it! Right, Agrom?"

"Yeah, I was… wait, hold on, you used me to check if the water you got wasn't poisoned?!" exclaimed Agrom, getting up. "What the heck, Noctis?!"

"Agrom may not be the best person to ask for that kind of stuff, Noctis." said Piron. "You know he tends to be… different sometimes."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, it's no big deal, but you're more resistant than us in many things. You never flinch when you're attacked by Lava creatures, you can drink sulfur with no problems at all."

"You're even putting your foot in our campfire." said Tasaru, startling Agrom as he realized he did step into the flames without noticing.

"Well, that's the Lord of Earth for ya! You know Old Sage chose us all because we were exceptional."

"That's true." said Noctis. "But then how do the berries taste?"

"I loved them. I remember as a kid, I used to grab a lot of these and hide a stash in my room. My dad would always sneak in and try to have some…" Agrom frowned, looking down as he remembered the Princes' goal. "Anyway, we should hurry and pack it up while we can, I feel like we got a long day waiting for us."

Avoiding their stares, he turned around and went to grab his stuff. He hoped they didn't find his behavior suspicious, no one should ever have to know what he was hiding from them.

* * *

"No escape for you!" said Petrifus.

"Who are you?!" asked the scared soldier, almost making Kondo feel guilty. Almost.

"I'm Lord Kondo from the Earth Kingdom! Now listen here, you-"

"What are you doing here?" cut Nadar. "What's with the scrolls?"

"I'm just a messenger!" defended the frightened soldier. "I don't want any trouble! Have mercy on me!"

Nadar ignored him as he went to pick up the two fiery parchments, burning his hands in the process.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"Smooth moves, Nadar. Tell us what's in the messages and we'll let you go, how's that?"

"Come on, do your job, messenger." said Petrifus, grabbing the poor thing.

"I'm forbidden to look at the messages! Magor said 'Just deliver-"

"Messages directly from Magor himself? Are they for us? For somebody else? Spit it out!"

"It's for Magor's brother and Magor's son! Please let me down! I'm just a messenger!" begged the soldier. "I'm not looking for a fight!"

The world stopped for Kondo. A message Magor made… for him? And for his uncle too, so what was in there?

Without missing a beat, he grabbed and undid the scrolls, reading the first message.

"So, Kondo, what's it say?" asked Nadar. "Kondo? Hey?"

The Earth Lord was focused, not listening to his friend as he opened the second message. His uncle would have to be told about this, and they'd have to make a decision soon.

"Gorm to Kondo, helloooo?" asked Petrifus. "Dude, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just… don't understand a thing this paper is saying. The letters are all burning and I've never seen these runes before. Guess we need Old Sage for this."

"I've said too much! Magor will extinguish me!" moaned the fire soldier in fear. "Please have mercy!"

"A Lava Gormiti begging for mercy?" mocked Nadar, summoning his weapon as the messenger was dropped down.

"Please, I beg of you!"

"What the heck do you think you're doing you blockhead?!" asked Nadar.

"He asked for mercy. Where I come from, we give our enemies a chance for a fair fight." He grabbed the messenger and sent him rolling on the ground. "Prepare to battle for your freedom, you little Lava blob! Don't worry, you only have to battle Nadar, that should make it a fair fight."

"Hey, watch it!"

"Well, you're the weakest one on the team. I mean, you're nothing but feathers and attitude!"

"Now listen… huh?!" said Nadar as he saw the soldier trying to flee.

"Let him go." said Kondo.

"What?!" said his friends, as they and the soldier in question turned to him.

"He's just doing his job, not trying to fight us, he hasn't done anything wrong." explained Kondo. "And hey, little guy, one advice for ya. You don't have to face Magor for your failure, he's got tons and tons of Lava soldiers that look just like you. If you want to go back home, we'll let you."

"Kondo, what are you doing?!"

"And if he tracks you down or asks you where the messages went, just tell them the Lords of Nature took it. We're too powerful for a simple messenger, Magor can't get mad at you. You're pretty good at running, so even if he does get mad, just hide under someone and let them take the burn for you."

The Lava messenger stood aghast, unable to comprehend what he was told. Then immediately, he bowed down to him in gratitude.

"Thank you, my Lord, thank you!"

"You're welcome, but eh, don't mention it. Or Magor will _seriously_ get mad."

Without another word, the messenger oozed himself into lava on the ground, disappearing.

"Unbelievable, did you just help out one of our enemies?!" said Nadar.

"No one deserves to have someone like Magor mistreating them for failing a task, no matter how simple it is or who they are." defended Kondo.

"Maybe, but that's a Lava Gormiti you just let go, you know they can't be trusted!" he said, making the Earth Lord frown. "Now Magor will know who took his scrolls!"

"He'd learn sooner or later anyway, it's not like we got nothing to do with that knowledge."

"What knowledge are you speaking of?" said an old voice.

The Lords saw a bright light as Old Sage appeared, blinding them for a few seconds. Kondo would have to deliver the news to him, and he wasn't sure he'd like his answer.

"We took a few messages destined to Magor's… family." said Kondo, handing him the fire scrolls.

Old Sage grabbed them and opened the papers, insensitive to the burning flames.

"So?"

"I already knew what was in the messages."

"Well, you could tell us! Like you could've told us about Magor having any family!" complained Nadar. "If we found Magor's brother and son, it could turn the tide in our battle with the Volcano Tribe!"

"I must forbid you from trying to locate Magor's family, and you are not allowed to confront them." warned Old Sage, reassuring the Earth Lord and upsetting the Air one.

"Why not?" asked Petrifus.

"I counsel you not to be so quick to fight, young Princes. At least, not this time. Magor's family is of no consequence to you, I make it my mission. And speaking of a mission, I have one for Lord Kondo. If you please…"

With a disappointed sigh, Kondo obliged, walking forward to the old man.

"Old Sage, not to insult you, but ignoring this would all be a deep mistake!" said Deron. "We can't simply let go of the fact Magor is trying to get in contact with his family!"

"Yeah! And why does Kondo get a solo mission?! What about us?"

"It's a secret mission only this young Prince can attend. You are free to spar while waiting, but you are not allowed to join him this time."

"Sorry, guys. My lips are sealed on this one." said Kondo, grumbling as he followed the Old Sage.

He wasn't the only one complaining, Nadar behind him was letting off steam as he stomped around like a child. This day might be the most humiliating one they've ever been through since they became Lords…

* * *

"So what are we going to do, uncle?" asked Agrom, still transformed. "Are we really going to meet Dad? Don't get me wrong, I have tons of things to tell him, but I don't think he'll like learning I'm the Earth Lord that's been fighting all his commanders all this time."

"I must attend this meeting, your father and I have a few things to discuss."

"Of course…" said Agrom, rolling his eyes. "I can't believe the one time he worries about me, it's for a meeting. Can't imagine what it'd be like if I left the normal way. You know, grow up, go on diplomatic gatherings and all that junk. Would I have to make an appointment for dinner?"

The old man chuckled. "Well, your father still cares about you, doesn't he? I'm sure he'd be worried to know you were in dangerous territory."

"Which territory are we talking about? All of Gorm is safe and I grew up in Fire Mountain. Literally the only danger there is is for everyone else, and that's why I can't go back home. And you know how Dad never let me out before, now he didn't even send anyone to look for me and bring me back home! He's just telling me to!"

"Agrom, you know that's not true. Certainly, your father is not the best when it comes to treating family, I would know. But as far as I've seen, he cares enough about you if he lets a soldier as talkative as the one you freed find you."

"He didn't find me, he found the Lords of Nature. And you were watching us this entire time?"

"You'd make a different king from your father, Agrom. You know about kindness, generosity and fairness. Not once have I seen him do you wrong before, have I?"

"Yeah well, lying to me about Gorm and what he was doing is doing me wrong." said Agrom. "If Dad cared enough, I would've known what kind of guy he really is way sooner. Don't know what I'd be doing, but at least I'd feel less like a fool he doesn't trust enough to tell the truth."

The Old Sage said nothing, leaving Agrom lost in thought. He knew Agrom was merely blinded by his anger at the moment, because even in his angriest moments, Magor didn't act like anything of the like with his only son.

Whenever he visited Fire Mountain, although his brother would order him to go away, he always saw him lighten up with Agrom around. He had never gotten to meet the child's mother, and you couldn't trust Magor to open up about it.

What he could know for sure was that the kindness Agrom received was wholly genuine. From what he'd heard from the soldiers gossipping about his nephew, Agrom had defused his father's anger many times whenever his army came back to the volcano empty-handed (something for which they were all grateful to the young prince).

Magor was capable of kind emotions, but ironically the only person who ever received so much of those was the one denying it. Perhaps in other circumstances, Agrom could've stopped all of this before it even started…

For the time being, Old Sage mostly had a young angry teenager following him.

* * *

"Are we doing this or not?!" complained Noctis.

"We are, but I'm starting to wonder if we really can do this without Agrom." said Piron. "What's with what Old Sage and Glass Empress are telling us, it feels like we're running straight into the lion's den."

"Don't tell me you're scared." joked Tasaru. "Agrom will just be a bit mad he missed out on some of the fun, he'll be jealous we beat up a bunch of Lava Gormitis without him."

"Yeah well, once we tell them that, he could tell us about this secret mission Old Sage sent him on." said Noctis. "You know, this may seem kind of random, but am I the only one who can never get Agrom?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, the guy just seems all cryptic sometimes. A bit like Old Sage. He never told us where he came from, he rarely ever talks about what his home was like, and when we even hear the slightest bit about what his life before he became a Lord, he immediately changes the subject."

"Hmm, I get what you mean. It seems Agrom may be ashamed of something, perhaps there's something he did back at the Earth Kingdom he doesn't want us to know."

"Then why did none of the Earth Gormitis there say anything?" asked Tasaru.

"Maybe that's why he's so obsessed with the secret identities thing. We already blew up our covers while his is still intact. Still, Agrom doesn't seem like the kind of guy to do something like that. People told me Earthers are usually blunt, so even if Agrom seems a bit different from those from the Earth Kingdom, I doubt he could be ashamed of something to the point of lying about it."

"You knew him before the rest of us did, what was he like when you first met him?" asked Tasaru.

"Still the same as ever. Hardheaded, hot-tempered, unable to have the slightest ounce of delicacy, a goofball who loves playing leader and with the most unusual methods of handling things I've ever seen. At least he knew his manners when he spoke to my father."

"I wonder if Agrom is a Prince like we are." said Piron. "My brother and I competed to become the king of our kingdom, Noctis is the sole heir of his, Tasaru is a born fighter representing his entire kingdom, but yeah. Agrom really is the one we know the least about."

"If he was a Prince, maybe he's just really really scared for his kingdom and family, or maybe he has an old beef with Magor." suggested Tasaru. "If I made that guy mad and if he knew every secret I had, I'd be scared too."

"What secret? Like how many times Sebi did his cute little swirly thing at dinner last night?"

"Shhh! Trees have ears, you know. And I lost the count."

"If he trusted us, maybe he'd open up a little. We trust him for his secret mission, he could at least tell us. Unless..."

The Air Prince pondered on what to do, before shrugging it off.

"Eh, I got nothing. Maybe we could just ask for his help as backup."

* * *

They were nearing the volcano, about the time Agrom has had enough.

"That's it! I'm not going in."

"Nothing stops you from leaving, Prince Agrom."

"You seriously led me here to tell me I didn't need to come?!"

"You've always had a choice whether or not to return home, I have no role in enforcing it. I was called to this meeting just as you were, but I've made the choice to attend."

"Ugh, fine, I get it." grumbled Agrom, not the least surprised with his uncle's tricks. "But if Dad ever asks you if I ever got the message, tell him I did and that I'm not going back home until he stops his world domination plans."

A smirk appeared on the old man's face as he bid his nephew goodbye before heading towards his destination.

This 'mission' was just his way of letting Agrom let off some steam and talk, seeing he couldn't tell any of his fellow Princes about being a Lava king's son. This kind of attitude made him wish he visited more often in the past, back when Agrom's only friends were commanders and soldiers who humored him by playing with him.

He was starting to wonder if they weren't doing it to avoid trouble. At least he got to meet Kondo and the other princes, and he was putting his new powers to good use. He didn't want to imagine what would've happened if his dad gulped down the first Gorm Stone, who knows what he'd do with two down?

With a sigh, he summoned his Quatenus Visor and created his board. He wondered what he could tell the others about his 'secret mission', maybe make up a story about a Gerz nest in danger or something. He'd have to come up with a good excuse soon, or leave it another mystery for them to figure out.

Though he didn't expect a message today, he expected to hear Piron's voice coming from the visor even less, startling him.

"Hey, Kondo! Don't know if you can hear us like this but it's Deron. We're about to enter Fire Mountain."

"What?!"

"I wanted to wait until you came back, but you know Noctis and Tasaru, always up for a fight. We're looking for Magor's family and Old Sage just got in there. If he's in danger, we have to be there as his backup. Mind coming along?"

Agrom parked the board before hastily answering. "Deron, listen, this is crazy! You guys have to-"

"We're going in, seems like things are moving. Talk to you later!"

"What? No, no! Deron! Deron? Come on, pick up!" panicked Agrom.

This was bad, this was terrible, this was the worst thing that could happen on this crazy day! If word came out in front of the Lords and Magor, they'd figure him out too, and his friends' capture was a definite possible outcome.

He had to go there, hope they didn't crash into the meeting and that everyone would be alright and that they'd never have to hear a word about him. Ever. '_Please, let them be alright, please let everyone be fine…'_

* * *

"Still haven't figured it out? The resemblance is uncanny." smirked the fire demon.

"That can't be!" exclaimed Nadar.

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Petrifus, stepping backwards.

"Old Sage… is it true that…"

"One day, all will be revealed." grimly announced Old Sage. "Remember, perception is everything. Have faith in yourselves and never give up."

"What about Magor's son then?"

The Lava king laughed before looking around. Only three Gorm Lords, and his son still hadn't appeared.

"Where's the Earth Lord?"

"Kondo's our last chance, and with that door trapped, he won't fall for your trap!" declared Nadar.

"So that is the name he goes by…" chuckled Magor. "This place holds many secret passages, I wouldn't be so sure of that."

"Pfft! Please, as if he could ever-"

Instantly, a wall opened inside the room, letting Kondo, holding his hammer out, walk into the battle.

"Just my luck! Release him before anyone gets hurt, Magor!"

"If that is who you see me as now, I have nothing else to say than to tell you you've been deeply misled, my son."

Kondo stuttered in his walk, stepping back at the last few words.

"Don't mess with me unless you want to get my rock fists into your burning face!"

"Come on, you know me better than that. I may have let the soldiers hit you before, but I knew anyone like the two of us could handle themselves against our army better than those fools you've surrounded yourself with."

"Those fools are my friends, now step off and leave Old Sage alone!"

Magor smirked before brutally sending Old Sage flying, letting a cracking sound as the old man's body collided with the walls.

"Old Sage!" shouted Kondo. "Can't believe you're that shallow and vengeful, don't you know anything about family?! He's your brother!"

"I know he should've never meddled with my plans to begin with! If it was up to me, you'd never have to fight against me and reject everything I've done for you these last few years."

"Kondo, what is he blabbering about?!"

"No way… how could you possibly-"

"There are many things one could hide from me, one could disguise, one could invent to fool everyone into believing something else. But regardless of what you could try, there's many things a father will always recognize. Wouldn't you know so… _Agrom_?"

The Earth Lord gasped as his friends stared, wary of Magor's words. To make matters worse, the Lava soldiers had heard him too.

"Agrom…?"

"Prince Agrom?"

"That's him?!"

Much to his dismay, the Lava Gormitis all surrounding him that were about to strike just a second ago were now bowing down in respect, right in his direction. There could be no misunderstanding nor any way to cover this up, he had just played in Magor's trap.

For so long, he thought he had a chance to just hide everything about himself away, he thought his father would never know, that no one should ever know… and now…

"What is he talking about?!" shouted Petrifus.

"I… I don't… no, I…" he looked down in shame. "Guys… I'm sorry…"

He pressed on the stone on his arm, and in a flash of light, the Earth Lord that they've known for so long had returned to the prince he always was. The prince he pretended not to be.

"How…" groaned Agrom. "How did you know?"

"I've always known it was you from the beginning. That Gorm Stone we've found was no replica, otherwise I would've never smelled the raw power coming from it when Firespitter brought it. And as soon as it was gone, so were you…"

"Agrom, what is he saying? Don't tell me he…" said Deron.

Magor laughed, before moving behind Agrom and putting a clawed burning arm on the boy's shoulder, boy who did not falter, move in pain or do anything aside from looking sadly at his friends.

"My, my, your friends aren't the brightest choice, are they? I understand why your uncle picked them, their dimness was perfect to hide your identity from them." mocked Magor. "Don't you children get it? Agrom is my son, he's been the prince of the Lava kingdom ever since he was born, and you never knew!"

"No way! I don't believe it!" retorted Nadar. "Agrom would never do that, he's one of us, he's-"

"Noctis, he's right." said Agrom. "I… I was born into this volcano, I knew all sorts of passageways into this place. This is where Magor always… this is where Dad…"

"No…"

Magor watched in delight as the Lords of Nature were stepping back in horror. He knew they could never accept Agrom for who he was, the only way they'd accept his help was if he deceived them.

For that, he was proud of the astuteness his child had shown. Bait one of his commanders, steal the crystal, run off and gather all the other Gorm Lords to form a small army. If only Agrom had shown off these talents sooner, he knew his son would've made quite the tactician on the battlefield.

Though he at least had expected him to come along the old fool, bringing along the other Lords was playing right into his plans as well, all stones in one area.

"Now, Agrom, why don't you take a rest and give me your Gorm Stone? After all, you-"

"Don't even think about it, Dad!" Agrom slapped the burning hand away from his shoulder. "I'm not like you, I'm not going to let the Volcano Tribe take over Gorm!"

"I know you're angry, but trust me, this is for your own good. Once we have the island between our hands, you'll have infinite power between your hands!"

"I don't want any of that! I already got all the power I need and I'm going to use it for good!" said Agrom, before pressing on his Gorm Stone. "Unleash the power of Earth!"

As Magor approached him again, Agrom formed rock fists on his hands, wary of the fire man's moves.

"Your armies are down, your generals aren't here and my team is ready to take you down any time, Dad! So don't try anything funny!"

"Really? I was under the impression your friends here would destroy any Lava Gormiti they find, no matter how honorable or how innocent they may be."

"I don't believe it, right guys?" said Agrom, only to be distressed at the distraught expressions his teammates had. "Guys, no…"

"Don't you see? The Lava has always been better on its own, without needing something as bothersome as other Lords to aid it. You're a child of the Lava even as an Earth Lord, this volcano is the only place you could ever fit in, but I can change that."

"You're just lying to gain some time! I can deal with you even on my own! Your promises won't be enough to fix what you've done or convince me to help you hurt other people!"

"Perhaps not, but they may find a better purpose once I become their master. I'm a man of my word, Agrom. If you do not want to hand me over your Gorm Stone, then I guess I'll have to wait until you finally come around."

He finally stepped away from Agrom and instead grabbed onto Old Sage's inert body, before the fire rose from his own body and consumed them both, disappearing once the flames faded out.

Magor was gone, and so was Old Sage. Disappeared, just like the masquerade that has now been going on ever since the Lords of Gorm started forming.

* * *

The Lava soldiers didn't give them any trouble. Once they passed the word that the Earth Lord they've been fighting was none other than their kind, friendly and generous prince Agrom, they immediately let everyone go.

What wouldn't help him is the silence that settled on their campsite. The fire was burning far behind him, his back turned to it and everyone else as he sat far from the other princes.

"Agrom…" started Piron.

"Don't. I don't know what you're trying to say, but I know it's not gonna do anything."

"Okay then, how about this?!" snapped Noctis. "You never told us you were Magor's son, how's that?! Huh? We've known you for a while now, and you hid that away from us?!"

Agrom didn't answer, and they couldn't see if he had reacted to Noctis' words. He followed.

"This entire time, all this stupid fake name stuff, this paranoid attitude of yours, that way of just telling us what to do, was that all because you were scared of facing us?! And Old Sage was in on it too! You were tricking us this whole time!"

"If I had told any of you, how would you have reacted to it?!" retorted Agrom, turning back angrily. "All the Lava Gormitis we fought before were terrible, and even that guy we faced this morning was about to get crushed if I didn't do anything! How could I tell you who I am when your first reaction is to kick down any Lava Gormiti you can find?"

His pupils glowed red while hot tears dropped down. Clenching his fists, he walked away.

"Agrom, wait!"

"We're your friends!" said Tasaru. "Even if you're a fire guy, we wouldn't judge you for anything!"

"Just because you got a huge skeleton in the closet doesn't make you evil or anything! Come on!" said Noctis.

"I know that!" snapped Agrom back, angry. "I just… I just can't stomach knowing everything that happened today, I'm… I'm sorry, I need some time."

"Where are you going?!"

Agrom didn't answer. He wouldn't take long to come back, but that wouldn't solve all his problems in a snap of a finger. How could he ever face them now?

He lied to them just as well. He wasn't all that worried before, but it just sunk in now that he was deceiving them for his own gain, not to protect them. He really wasn't being any better than Magor at keeping secrets.

Would they forgive him? Could they forgive him? Would they even listen to him now? How could they leave a Lava Gormiti as their leader? What could he even do to prove he was worthy of being a leader?

Could a trustworthy leader ever do what he did? Was he even worthy of that role to begin with? He had mostly told everyone what to do because he made it his personal mission, but what did he do aside from bringing bystanders into his own family feud?

He just tangled his friends into his own problems rather than protect everyone. Why was he even chosen to be an Earth Lord? Was it because of his father being a Lord himself? Was it because he _wasn't_ like his father? Was it because he and Old Sage knew each other?

What did he do aside from running away and causing trouble to everyone around him?


End file.
